A French press, also known as a cafetière, coffee press or coffee plunger, is a coffee pot used to brew coffee. The resulting coffee dregs are pushed to the bottom using a plunger attached to the lid of the French press. Unlike filter coffee, this method retains the essential oils in the coffee, which end up in your cup, making the aroma more complex and richer than with classic filter coffee. The French press uses an “immersion method” and not a “pour over” method with hot water.
Read below about the structure of a French press and what the differences and similarities are between the different models. You can choose between classic models made from (safety) glass, metal or other materials, all of which work on the same basic principle of a cafetière.
This coffee-making method not only affects the taste of the brewed coffee – due to the higher content of aromatic oils, French press coffee tastes significantly fuller and when steeped for longer increasingly strong to bitter. This is also why you should follow our step-by-step instructions described here to a tee.
We then go on to answer some frequently asked questions about the French press, present an overview of the pros and cons of this coffee machine and give you a small insight into the history of the cafetière.
Read below about the structure of a French press and what the differences and similarities are between the different models. You can choose between classic models made from (safety) glass, metal or other materials, all of which work on the same basic principle of a cafetière.
This coffee-making method not only affects the taste of the brewed coffee – due to the higher content of aromatic oils, French press coffee tastes significantly fuller and when steeped for longer increasingly strong to bitter. This is also why you should follow our step-by-step instructions described here to a tee.
We then go on to answer some frequently asked questions about the French press, present an overview of the pros and cons of this coffee machine and give you a small insight into the history of the cafetière.
In fact, no one really knows who invented the French press. The story goes – and therefore we can safely assume it is right – that it was a Frenchman. One day, in the first half of the 19th century, he apparently forgot to boil the coffee with water, which was standard practice then. According to legend, he was supposed to have been too lazy to reboil the water and simply poured it over the ground coffee and then filtered the brewed coffee with a sieve.
However, we do know that the Italian designer Attilio Calimani was the first person to patent a coffee press – having made several modifications to it before doing so.
Although French presses come in a variety of designs and capacities, they always have the same elements:
A coffee pot, which is usually made from glass, whereby models are also available in stainless steel or other materials. Glass pots/beakers usually come with a plastic or stainless steel frame, which makes it safer to hold the coffee press.
A lid attached to a round plunger.
The plunger has a coarse metal filter that can be pressed down manually. This separates the coffee dregs from the brewed coffee, which won’t completely prevent the brewing process, but will at least slow it down.
In fact, no one really knows who invented the French press. The story goes – and therefore we can safely assume it is right – that it was a Frenchman. One day, in the first half of the 19th century, he apparently forgot to boil the coffee with water, which was standard practice then. According to legend, he was supposed to have been too lazy to reboil the water and simply poured it over the ground coffee and then filtered the brewed coffee with a sieve.
However, we do know that the Italian designer Attilio Calimani was the first person to patent a coffee press – having made several modifications to it before doing so.
Although French presses come in a variety of designs and capacities, they always have the same elements:
A coffee pot, which is usually made from glass, whereby models are also available in stainless steel or other materials. Glass pots/beakers usually come with a plastic or stainless steel frame, which makes it safer to hold the coffee press.
A lid attached to a round plunger.
The plunger has a coarse metal filter that can be pressed down manually. This separates the coffee dregs from the brewed coffee, which won’t completely prevent the brewing process, but will at least slow it down.
Although the basic structure of a French press is similar to that of a coffee pot, there is a wide selection of different models and designs on the market. The classic version made from glass with a plastic or stainless steel frame is aesthetically appealing, functional and perfect for frequent and occasional drinkers as well as for guests. They are available in different sizes, for single households and for large families.
A stoneware or ceramic coffee pot is perfect for serving coffee, but you can only see the hot drink from above. This is why you need to keep to the exact brewing time and then maybe transfer the brewed coffee to a serving pot.
If you enjoy drinking coffee, and a lot of it too, a double-walled French press is a good alternative as it keeps the brewed coffee hot for longer. However, you need to take into account that the longer the contact between the coffee powder and water is, the stronger and more intense the coffee will become.
Although the basic structure of a French press is similar to that of a coffee pot, there is a wide selection of different models and designs on the market. The classic version made from glass with a plastic or stainless steel frame is aesthetically appealing, functional and perfect for frequent and occasional drinkers as well as for guests. They are available in different sizes, for single households and for large families.
A stoneware or ceramic coffee pot is perfect for serving coffee, but you can only see the hot drink from above. This is why you need to keep to the exact brewing time and then maybe transfer the brewed coffee to a serving pot.
If you enjoy drinking coffee, and a lot of it too, a double-walled French press is a good alternative as it keeps the brewed coffee hot for longer. However, you need to take into account that the longer the contact between the coffee powder and water is, the stronger and more intense the coffee will become.
The ideal steeping time is 4 minutes, you should stop the brewing process no later than this and then transfer the brewed coffee to a cup or – with larger volumes – to a coffee pot.
For one litre of coffee, you should put 60-65 g of medium coarse ground coffee into the beaker.
Coffee dregs are organic waste, so it is best to dispose of them on a compost heap or in the organic waste bin. Larger potted plants also appreciate soil enriched with (cooled) coffee dregs.
The amount of coffee powder you need for exactly one cup of brewed coffee depends on the size of the cup. As a rule of thumb, take 60-65 g coffee for one litre of water, then it’s easier to work out the exact amount of coffee powder you need for your favourite cup.
The French press is a modern, quick and reliable method of making aromatic coffee. This is one of the reasons why an increasing number of people prefer to make coffee in a cafetière.
If you are unsure about whether a French press is right for you, we have put together a few pros and cons of this coffee maker:
• Easy to use: simply add coffee powder,
pour water and wait briefly.
• Only needs hot water and works independently,
without electricity.
• No consumable supplies, such as paper coffee filters,
coffee capsules, etc., which lowers running
costs and protects the environment.
• Easy to clean: no cleaning agents
or aggressive descalers are needed – hot,
clear water is sufficient.
• The metal filter is coarser than e.g.
a paper coffee filter. Grains of
ground coffee can still escape into the brewed coffee.
• In a French press, coffee powder and
water can also continue to steep after pressing down the
plunger if you do not stop the brewing process
by transferring the coffee.
• French press beakers made from glass are – just like all
glass products – prone to breaking.
The ideal steeping time is 4 minutes, you should stop the brewing process no later than this and then transfer the brewed coffee to a cup or – with larger volumes – to a coffee pot.
For one litre of coffee, you should put 60-65 g of medium coarse ground coffee into the beaker.
Coffee dregs are organic waste, so it is best to dispose of them on a compost heap or in the organic waste bin. Larger potted plants also appreciate soil enriched with (cooled) coffee dregs.
The amount of coffee powder you need for exactly one cup of brewed coffee depends on the size of the cup. As a rule of thumb, take 60-65 g coffee for one litre of water, then it’s easier to work out the exact amount of coffee powder you need for your favourite cup.
The French press is a modern, quick and reliable method of making aromatic coffee. This is one of the reasons why an increasing number of people prefer to make coffee in a cafetière.
If you are unsure about whether a French press is right for you, we have put together a few pros and cons of this coffee maker:
• Easy to use: simply add coffee powder, pour water
and wait briefly.
• Only needs hot water and works independently, without electricity.
• No consumable supplies, such as paper coffee filters, coffee capsules, etc.,
which lowers running costs and protects the environment.
• Easy to clean: no cleaning agents or aggressive
descalers are needed – hot, clear water is sufficient.
• The metal filter is coarser than e.g. a paper coffee filter.
Grains of ground coffee can still escape into the brewed
coffee.
• In a French press, coffee powder and water can also
continue to steep after pressing down the plunger if you
do not stop the brewing process by transferring the coffee.
• French press beakers made from glass are – just like all glass products –
prone to breaking.
Making coffee with a French press is easy:
1. For the best results, grind the coffee just before you want to make it, preferably in an electric coffee grinder with a high-quality conical burr grinder or flat burr grinder. Set the grinder at a medium grind level, the grind should be slightly coarser than for filter coffee.
2. Use about 60-65 g coffee powder (ground coffee) for one litre of water and add straight to the empty cafetière.
3. Boil the water and then wait about 30 seconds before pouring it into the French press. This way, the water can reach the required temperature of 96 °C, which is perfect for retaining the aromatic substances. Then quickly pour the hot water into the beaker.
4. Right after pouring, stir vigorously with a long-stemmed spoon to completely distribute the coffee powder in the water. Afterwards, place the lid of the French press on top and lightly press the mesh plunger down so that all of the coffee powder is floating freely in the water.
5. Keep an eye on the timer as you need to stir again after 3.5 minutes and skim off the foam. Then press the plunger all the way to the bottom, slowly and evenly.
6. Your perfect French press coffee is ready and should be served immediately. You should transfer the coffee to a preheated coffee pot or Thermos to retain its aromas and to prevent the coffee from continuing to brew in the French press and getting bitter.
Making coffee with a French press is easy:
1. For the best results, grind the coffee just before you want to make it, preferably in an electric coffee grinder
with a high-quality conical burr grinder or flat burr grinder. Set the grinder at a medium grind level, the grind should be
slightly coarser than for filter coffee.
2. Use about 60-65 g coffee powder (ground coffee) for one litre of water and add straight to the empty
cafetière.
3. Boil the water and then wait about 30 seconds before pouring it into the French press. This way, the water can
reach the required temperature of 96 °C, which is perfect for retaining the aromatic substances. Then quickly pour the hot water
into the beaker.
4. Right after pouring, stir vigorously with a long-stemmed spoon to completely distribute the coffee powder in the water.
Afterwards, place the lid of the French press on top and lightly press the mesh plunger down so that all of the coffee powder
is floating freely in the water.
5. Keep an eye on the timer as you need to stir again after 3.5 minutes and skim off the foam. Then press
the plunger all the way to the bottom, slowly and evenly.
6. Your perfect French press coffee is ready and should be served immediately. You should transfer the coffee to a preheated
coffee pot or Thermos to retain its aromas and to prevent the coffee from continuing to brew in the French press and getting bitter.